Dominating both ends of the court, Sixers’ Joel Embiid should dethrone Nikola Jokić as MVP

What are the voters going to do?

Are they going to finally give Joel Embiid his flowers? Are they going to reward Giannis Antetokoumpo for making a banged-up Milwaukee Bucks squad the NBA’s team to beat? Or are their votes going to enable Denver’s Nikola Jokić to accomplish something the league has only witnessed three times before?

Just like in the previous two seasons, there’s a debate over who should win the MVP award.

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Jokić won it in 2021 and 2022 with Embiid finishing as the runner-up both times.

It was hard to argue against the Nuggets center getting the nod over Embiid in 2021 because of games played. Jokić played in every game of a season reduced to 72 contests due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Embiid missed 21 games.

Last season, Jokić won after becoming the first player in league history to record 2,000 points (2,004), 1,000 rebounds (1,019) and 500 assists (584) in a single season. But some argued that Embiid was robbed after averaging 30.6 points and becoming the first center to win the scoring title since Shaquille O’Neal in 1995. He also led the Sixers to a 51-31 record, which tied with the Boston Celtics and Bucks for the second-best record in the Eastern Conference.

Here we are for a third consecutive season with Embiid and Jokić among the award’s leading candidates.

The media panel that votes must decide between Embiid’s dominance and Jokić ability to stuff a box score.

Jokić is averaging 24.5 points on a career-high 62.9% shooting, along with a league third-best 11.8 rebounds and fourth-best 10.0 assists. The 6-foot-11 center has led the Nuggets to the Western Conference’s best record of 46-21. And he’s listed among the leaders in several major advanced metrics.

His versatility is why some believe he’ll join Larry Bird (1984, 1985, 1986), Wilt Chamberlain (1966, 1967, 1968) and Bill Russell (1961, 1962, 1963) as the only players to win the MVP award in three consecutive seasons.

However, Embiid is the league’s most unstoppable player, averaging a career-high and league-leading 33.4 points on a career-high 53.9% shooting. The 7-2, 280-pounder is also sixth in the league in blocks (1.6 per game) and 10th in rebounds (10.1).

And Friday’s 39-point outing against Portland marked the 23rd time he’s produced at least 35 points this season. The only centers to accomplish that feat since the NBA and ABA merger in 1976 were Moses Malone and O’Neal. Both won the MVP award during those respective seasons.

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Antetokoumpo is the best player on the best team.

The Bucks have a league-best 48-19 record. Antetokounmpo, a two-time league MVP, is fourth in the league in scoring (31.2) and second in rebounds (11.9).

He’s kept the team competitive while several key players — including Khris Middleton — were sidelined with injuries.

The Dallas Mavericks’ Luka Dončić and Boston’s Jayson Tatum are other candidates. No offense to them or Antetokounmpo, but this should and most likely will be a two-man race.

Folks will continue to highlight all of the various things Jokić does in the course of a game. They’ll talk about his league-leading 26 triple-doubles being more than the next three players on the list — Dončić (10), Sacramento’s Domantas Sabonis (nine), and Memphis’ Ja Morant (six) — have combined.

They’ll also say that Embiid has the luxury of playing with James Harden. Not only does Harden lead the league in assists (10.8), the point guard also spoon-feeds Embiid more easy looks around the basket than in his first six seasons.

But what Embiid’s doing is special. He’s dominating both ends of the floor.

He’s averaging 35.1 points while shooting 40% on three-pointers since the All-Star break. He’s also averaging 9.5 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 2.1 blocks, and 1.0 steal. He’s scored 35, 31, 42, 39, and 39 points in his last five outings.

The Sixers beat the Trail Blazers, 120-119, on Friday at home, thanks to Embiid’s game-winning jumper with 1.5 seconds left. That marked the first time a Sixer had a game-winning shot in the final 2 seconds since May 2, 2021.

And let’s not forget that Embiid destroyed Jokić in a 126-119 victory over the Nuggets on Jan. 28. He finished with 47 points, 18 rebounds, three steals, and two blocks while the two-time MVP had 24 points, nine assists, and eight rebounds.

Embiid abused Jokić in isolation play, drawing chants of “MVP” from the home crowd. In another MVP showdown, Embiid made the go-ahead three-pointer with 41.4 seconds left in the come-from-behind 133-130 victory over Antetokounmpo and the Bucks. Embiid finished with 31 points and 10 assists to help his squad snap the Bucks’ 16-game winning streak.

On Tuesday, Embiid was dubbed MVP by Minnesota Timberwolves All-Star Anthony Edwards after the Sixers’ 117-94 road victory.

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In addition to his 39 points, Embiid had seven rebounds, four assists, three blocks, and a steal. Edwards was asked his thoughts of the six-time All-Star.

“MVP,” Edwards said. “Most Valuable Player in the NBA, for sure.”

Embiid made 13 of 22 shots, including 4-for-4 from beyond the three-point line. He scored 22 of the Sixers’ 29 points in the third quarter before sitting out the fourth.

“I look up at my trainer,” Edwards said of Embiid, “and he just said, ‘You gotta tilt your hat to greatness.’”

But Edward isn’t alone.

“He’s my MVP,” said forward Georges Niang. “being able to be alongside him, it’s remarkable how he works, how he approaches the game every day. Every year [he] just tries to get a little bit better.”

They’re both right.

Embiid should win this season’s MVP award. Forget the anayltics and statistics. The eye-test tells you he’s the best player. He’s not only the league’s most dominant player, but Embiid is the rare player who can dominate both ends of the court.

And the plays he’s making just aren’t normal, especially for a guy his size. That’s what makes all that he’s accomplishing more special — an MVP-type special.